Police make gun-related arrest No. 17 near Naperville Topgolf

Another person was arrested on a gun charge near Topgolf in Naperville, bringing the total number of people arrested and charged to 17, Naperville police confirmed.

Antonio Billups, 22, of Peoria, was arrested about 12:20 a.m. Nov. 8 near Odyssey Avenue and Celebration Drive. He was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a loaded weapon and unlawful possession of cannabis by passenger, DuPage County Circuit Court records show.

Naperville police were patrolling the Topgolf parking lot at 3211 Odyssey Court when officers “took note of an odor of fresh cannabis coming from a parked vehicle,” Naperville police Cmdr. Rick Krakow said.

When officers observed multiple people, including Billups, return to the vehicle, they pulled it over for an unlawful tint violation, Krakow said. Billups was seen reaching down as if he was placing something on the floorboard, leading police to conduct a probable cause search that revealed open cannabis and alcohol.

Under the front passenger seat, which was just in front of Billups, officers found a loaded Taurus 9mm handgun, Krakow said. Billups did not possess a valid Firearm Owners Identification card or a concealed carry license, leading to his arrest.

He was granted pre-trial release and is scheduled to next be in court on Dec. 1, court records show.

The last time a person was arrested and charged for a gun-related offense out the Topgolf venue was Sept. 12, when police arrested Kachmiel Smith, 26, of Loganville, Georgia, on charges of aggravated unlawful possession of a loaded weapon with no concealed carry license or FOID card and unlawful possession of cannabis by passenger.

Krakow noted that there have been 21 firearms-related arrests near Topgolf in Naperville this year, but four of those arrests did not result in charges. Gun-related arrests outside the business have been making headlines for nearly two years. Arrests started up again this year in early February after a nearly four-month break.

cstein@chicagotribune.com